


Just Like The Wind

by ladyofdecember



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 03:12:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10549094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: Rick returns from prison one night much to Morty's surprise.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is just something I had to get out of my system now that Season 3 has premiered. This was an idea I had back once Season 2 ended. It's moot now but oh well, it still warms my heart.

It happened finally, the thing he'd been waiting to happen, the thing he'd been hoping for for nearly two years now. Rick had crawled through his bedroom window around 3AM, gently waking him with an intense look splayed across his face.

“R-Rick?” Morty mumbled, wiping his eyes. Could he trust his vision? Was the man really finally back?

“Ssh!” Rick harshly whispered. “Keep your voice down.”

The boy waited a moment to see if reality broke and he would wake up from this dream. He watched his grandpa just stare down at him silently as he perched on the edge of his bed. When he didn't immediately wake up, Morty launched himself into the man's side, hugging him with all his might.

There was a pause before the man returned his gentle embrace.

“I missed you... “ Morty said, quieter this time, smooshing his face into the man's white lab coat. He wondered distantly just how he'd gotten a hold of his old clothes. The last the family had heard, Rick had been snatched up by the Federation and had been serving time in prison with no hope for any release.

Rick pulled away, taking all the warmth and the smell of harsh cologne with him. Morty tried not to dwell on the ache that returned inside him.

“Look, I just wanted to... well, I wanted to come say goodbye, Morty. You're a... a good kid, Morty.”

The older man didn't look at him as he said this, seemed to not even acknowledge his presence, staring at the far bedroom wall instead. Morty sat up a little straighter. Surely, he was kidding. “What, Rick? You... you just got here!”

“Yeah and I'm tellin' you I gotta get goin'. I just wanted to say goodbye so... goodbye.”

Panic raced through him as he watched Rick stand to his feet and begin to climb back out of the tiny window. Morty scrambled to his feet, reaching out with all his might to grasp the man's coat sleeve, yanking on it insistently. 

“M-Morty!”

“You can't go! You can't!” He began to cry pathetically. Chastising himself internally, he pushed on through his tears, feeling every bit of the 'fight or flight' rush of adrenaline that had flooded his being. “Stop it, Rick!”

Rick once against shushed him, concerned about the noise he was making waking the rest of the family. He forcefully moved Morty back down onto the bed to sit on the edge. Both hands firmly pressed down on his shoulders as he peered down into his tear filled eyes.

“Morty... I can't stay here. I broke out of prison and they're most likely on their way here now, that is, if they're tracking me like I think they are. It's not safe here for me or for any of you.” He paused then, eyes downcast in an unsure manner for probably the first time Morty had ever seen. “I'm sorry I woke you up but I wanted to say goodbye. I didn't wanna... just disappear.”

His grandson took in the serious tone of the man's voice, the gentle waver of emotion laded in it and thought about the fact that the man had barely stuttered at all this whole exchange. Missing was the familiar mush of liquor as well which must have something to do with it. The man had been locked up in prison with no access to liquor. He briefly wondered how long that might last.

Morty regained control of himself, willing the frantic tears to stop as he reached up to place his hands over the man's shoulders. He carefully peered up into the man's eyes, wanting to convey a very serious message.

“Rick... I missed you so much. You don't know what it's been like here, what with the aliens ever-everywhere and our governments falling! Mom's been a wreck. She won't stop drinking, Rick! And I... I... “

He peered up desperately into the man's eyes, gripping his lab coat in his hands. “You can't just come back here and immediately leave again!”

Rick sighed, moving to sit down on the edge of the mattress next to him. He didn't have time for this. By his calculations, the Federation was already hot on his trail, probably half way to Earth by now. His mind raced with ways of how to outsmart the boy. Other parts of it screamed, 'Just leave!'. But he stayed sitting where he was, staring at a spot on the far wall in silence.

Morty was growing angry now, finally feeling all of the pent up emotions that had been stirring inside of him since that fateful day the man had gone out for “ice cream” and never came back. He glared at the aged man's face as he refused to look at him. He began shoving against him in grief. “You left us! You left and now you're back and you're just-just-just gonna leave again?!”

Rick stilled the boy's hands again, gripping them harshly as he spun to face him, his expression marred by irritation at his ever increasing pitch in his voice. “Be quiet! You wanna wake up everyone else?!Yes, I left and yes I came back to say goodbye. You're really making me regret it, Morty!”

Tears filled the boy's eyes again as his anger gave way to the sorrow inside, something he'd been holding in for too long. He collapsed against the older man, sobbing as quietly as he could into his shirt and coat. Rick hesitated only a second before wrapping his arms around him and bringing him closer for an embrace.

They sat like that for only a moment, the clock inside Rick ticking ever urgently, reminding him of his deadline. He finally pulled away gently, giving the boy a small, sad smile. “I love you, Morty. Be good.”

And with that, the man began to stand and head back towards the window. He wondered if he should climb back out and head on his way just as he'd arrived. The portal gun inside his coat pocket was beginning to burn a hole. But one simply click of a button and the Feds would be on his tail in no time. It was risky using it but it was simply his only way out.

He turned to look back at his grandson, sitting there with eyes puffy and red. Morty sobbed some more before leaping forward to cling to him. “Don't go! Please! Or... just take me with you!”

“Morty, no!”

“Yes! I know it's not safe here. Hell, it's not safe here for anyone, what with these bugs everywhere. But take me with you! We'll just run until they can't find us anymore!”

Rick gently pulled away again, trying to disengage from the situation. “You're being irrational Morty. I can't take you with me. What about... what about all this? And your family?”

“They're your family too!” He angrily spat back.

The man shook his head sadly. “No... they're not, Morty. They're just... people who happen to resemble them.”

Morty gaped at him as the realization of his words sank in. Determined, he wiped his face once more and stepped closer. “Well, they're not my family either. And even if they were! What makes you think I'd stay just because of that. I'm going with you!”

Realizing time was up and the boy wasn't going to give in, Rick began to consider just portaling out, distracting the boy long enough to escape. He took one look at the seriousness of his face, the tear streaks lining his cheeks and sighed, giving in. 

He chuckled at the sight of the boy. “Morty... you're... you're a real little shit, you realize that?”

Morty glared up at him.

“So... you really wanna come with your grandpa? It's not going to be fun, Morty!”

“I don't care!”

“We're... we gotta be on the run. No Blips and Chitz stops, no human food, nothing. It's gonna be really hard. And we can't ever come back here.”

The brunette stared up at him resolutely. “I don't care. You're not leaving... not without me!”

“Then we have to go. Now.”

Rick reached for his portal gun, retrieving it from his pocket swiftly. He glanced down at Morty who had once again taken his place at his side. He took in the way he was dressed, yellow pajamas and white fluffy slippers he'd slipped on without him noticing. He smirked to himself. This was what he was leaving home forever dressed in?

“You ready?”

Morty glanced around the dark bedroom and towards the hall, saying a silent goodbye to his sister and mom. Jerry could go to hell for all he cared. He'd been nothing but a nuisance since Rick's disappearance, often commenting how nice it was the man was finally gone. Reminding himself again that they weren't really his family, he took a deep breath and glanced at Rick. “Let's go.”

Rick opened a portal against the bedroom wall and together they stepped through.


End file.
